Because you have made us for Yourself, and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in Thee. (Augustine of Hippo)
Our hearts are restless—can you relate?
Whether it's fear, a desire for control, or ceaseless striving, we often find ourselves unable to rest, keeping both our thoughts and bodies in constant motion. Sometimes life is just busy, but if we look deeper, is that really all it is?
For me, sometimes I forget to trust the Lord with my circumstances, and other times I wrestle with perfectionism. When I notice the angst rising in my soul, it’s my cue to pause and prayerfully wander with the Lord in reflection.
So, how does creation speak into the restlessness we feel?
This was one of my questions as I picked up, Rest Assured:What the Creation Story Was Intended to Reveal About Trusting God. What we discover is that God's goodness and involvement in creation provide us with a firm foundation for rest and assurance in our daily lives.
Rest Assured | Book Review: What Creation Teaches Us About Trusting God
Content
Content
Purpose of the Book
God set up a perfect home for us full of purpose, provision and significance. She writes to put us as flies on the wall as we listen to the creation story told in the context of the ancient near east. She helps us see how the creation story differs from the creation stories of other cultures to highlight the differences and how that informs what we believe about the character of God.
Table of Contents
CHAPTER 1: RESTLESS HEARTS
CHAPTER 2: MORE THAN A STORY
CHAPTER 3: BEGINNING AT THE END
CHAPTER 4: SPEAKING TO CHAOS
CHAPTER 5: INCONCEIVABLE!
CHAPTER 6: WHAT’S IN A NAME?
CHAPTER 7: MADE IN THE IMAGE
CHAPTER 8: RESTORATION PARTICIPATION
CHAPTER 9: NO THREAT TO THE THRONE
CHAPTER 10: SABBATH FOR RESTLESS HEARTS
Summary
The book teaches us about God's character and his desire for a relationship with us, encouraging us to approach him without manipulation or fear. Ultimately it reveals that God's goodness and involvement in creation provide a foundation for rest and assurance in our lives.
My Take
When we were church planters in East Africa, our team used the chronological Bible storying method, as our people group primarily communicated through oral traditions. During our training to create our own story set, we were assigned to learn the cultural stories that were already being told and passed down. This exercise was both fun and enlightening. Some stories were amusing, while others didn’t make much sense to me. However, they were all insightful in revealing the characters, themes, and beliefs of the people and culture we were getting to know.
Similarly, the author shares cultural creation stories from the ancient Near East, highlighting their similarities and differences with the biblical account of Genesis. While you may not feel a strong need to understand the beliefs of Egyptians or Babylonians, the contrast is invaluable in revealing the character of God.
In chapter 9, something that struck me was the author’s observation that most ancient Near Eastern creation narratives include a cosmic battle. Initially, I connected this idea to the fall in Genesis 3, thinking it might fit. However, the author points out that the cosmic battles in these other stories were battles for the throne. In contrast, Genesis tells us that God rested on the seventh day, signifying that He is seated on His throne with full authority—there is no dispute or conflict about this at all! God created, and then God rested, enthroned over all.
She writes, "Creation challenges our assumption that God’s authority can be thwarted. And it does this by keeping the serpent out of a battle with God. Genesis 3 notes that there is a battle—it just turns out that the serpent is a lot less powerful than he lets on. He is a created being just like anything else, and his goal is to swipe at God’s creation and usurp the created order that God put into place. Satan may want to go after God, but his hunting ground will be humanity and God’s created order. He can’t usurp God’s throne. When it comes to any challenge to the created order, it happens at the earthly, human level."
This is incredibly encouraging because, no matter our circumstances, God is on the throne, and there is no challenge to His authority. This truth comforts us and reassures us that, even when life’s storms rage, He is steadfast, mighty, and faithful.
In a world where so much seems uncertain, we can find peace in knowing that God's authority remains unshaken. No matter what battles we face, we can rest assured that He is sovereign, and He is seated on His throne.
My Recommendation
I enjoyed the reflection questions at the end of the book, as well as the list of further resources, where you'll find book suggestions for further reading, or podcasts to listen to and Youtube videos.
If you're interested in learning how the Genesis creation story impacted ancient Israel in contrast to the creation narratives of the cultures around them, this is a helpful book. Also, if you're doing a bible study on Genesis, this would be a great resource.
Quick Stats
# of Pages: 208
Level of Difficulty: Easy - Moderate (uses terms to describe ancient near east culture, but these are accessible and explained)
My Rating: 4 stars
A Song You'll Enjoy
At least, I hope you will! :) It's been on repeat during my walks lately as I've been reflecting with the Lord on rest.
[WATCH] Dr Jon Walton on "Rest" in Genesis
This theme comes up in the book, and this is a nice summary of what it means when God is at rest as we see i Day 7 of creation. (Grabbed from her further resources section)
More Like This
Scriptures About Creation
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. (Gen. 1:1)
By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host (Ps. 33:6)
Yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. (1 Cor. 8:6)
For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him (Col. 1:16)
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made (John 1:1-3)
Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created (Rev. 4:11)
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*A big thanks to Moody Publishers for the ecopy of this book and the opportunity to post an honest review!
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